Snow melter



C. D. CHASE Sept. 1, 1931.

SNOW MELTER Filed Oct. 19, 1927- 2 Sheets-Sheet l C. D. CHASE SNOW MELTER Sept. 1, 1931.

Fiied Oct. 19,

1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 1, 1931 raresf me a GFFICE concurs I). cru se, 0]? ariLsrroiv; MASSACHUSETTS, Assrenon T0 CHASE HOLDING conrone'rron; AHCOBEQQATION or PENNSYLVANIA snow MEL'rnn.

' Application filed October 19, 1927. Serial No. 227,342.

This invention relates to apparatus for melting snow and more particularly to a portable, self-contained apparatus particularly adapted for removing snow from streets, sidewalks and thorough-fares generally.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the above general character of simple and practical construction which willbereliable andhighly eiiicient in use and operation.

A further object is to providea compact, portable, self-contained apparatus adapted to be substantially tion. 1 r p A further object isto providea compact apparatus of the above character which will be entirely self-contained and which is adapted to utilize the water obtained from melted snow for further melting thesnow fed to the apparatus.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of the above general character which may be continuously operated and progressively moved from placeto place, as necessary.

Other objects will he in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointedout in connection with the accompanying sheets of drawings illustrating .a preferred embodiment of the invention and in the several views of which corresponding parts a'redesignated by similar reference characters.

In thesedrawings- ,1

Fig 1 is a semi-dia-g an'nnatic, longitudinal section in elevation showing such parts of the complete apparatus as is necessary to understand the same; I

Fig. 2 is an elevation with a portion in continuous in. its operathe general combination hereinafter set forth and claimed and may be of any desired type and construction. Inasmuch as their operation anduse are so well known to those skilled in the art, a detailed description thereof is believed to be unnecessary.

The present invention resides more particularly'in that mechanism carried at the rear of the tractor and conveyor unit, which comprises main supporting frame 10 mounted upon wheels 11 and connected to the tractor unit by the conventional tongue 9, whereby the apparatus may be most conveniently transported from one locality to another. This supporting frame is preferably provided with a plurality of heating units, only two of which are herein shown. Theheating units include two relatively large cylindrical chambers 12 mounted in a tank The said units are preferably spaced slightly from the bottom of the tank whereby they may be completely surrounded and enclosed by water from the melted snow. The forward end of the chambers 11 are open to a suitable source of heat indicated diagrammatically as fuel oil burners 14 which are supplied from'any suitable source of fuel oil and compressed air asindicated by the tank 15. r

p The products of combustion from the oil burners 14 pass rearwardly the entire length of the heating chambers 12 into a common header 15, thence forwardly and upwardly thru inclined flues 16 preferably arranged in layers and in staggered relation, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. The exhaust gases discharge from these tubes into a transverse header 1'? from which they pass out thru stacks 18 at each side of the tank 13.

The forward part of the supporting frame 10 carries a motor driven pump (not shown) contained within the housing 20 and may be driven either by an independent gas engine or by means of a drive connection 21 taken from the drive shaft of the Fordson. This is a mere mechanical detail and may be varied as circumstances demand. The pump is pro ided with an inlet pipe 22 at the bottom of the tank 13 and discharges'thru a pipe 23 connected with a helical coil 23 in each of the heating chambers 12 which in turn discharge to an upwardly and forwardly inclined sprinkling system, shown more clearly in Fig. 2. This system includes two main pipes 24 connecting with the coils 23 and are each provided with communicating cross spray pipes 25 having a plurality of nozzles 26 for directing their streams over the inclined fines 16. The water pumped from the. bottom of the tank closely adjacent the heating chambers 12 is highly heated in coils 23 and consequently gives up its heat to melt the snow when it is directed thereupon. Furthermore, the incoming snow from the discharge chute 8, falling upon the tubes 16, which are of course very hot due to the discharge of the products of combustion, will cause the snow to quickly melt and drop thru the pipes into the tank 13'. When the water in the tank reaches a predetermined level indicated by the outlet box 27, the excess water is carried off thru a hose 28- to a sewer or the like. lVhen the apparatus is not in use, as when shut down for the day, for example, a cock 30 is opened to drain the tank 13. i

In operating the apparatus, it is preferably moved up. against a snow pile or drift, indicated at 31, and the conveyor 7 set in motion. In the meantime, however, the burner 14. has been started to thoroughly heat the heating chambers 12 and fines 16. As soon as the snow from the discharge chute 8 falls upon the fiues 16, it is either melted or softened to such a degree that it slides down the inclined tubes. When the melted snow collected in tank 13 has reached a depth of several inches, the pump 20 is started to pump the water from the bottom of the tank thru the coils 2'3 and into the sprinkler system 26 where the streams are forcibly projected against the incoming snow sliding down the highly heated flues. This hot sprinkling feature greatly accelerates the melting action, and thereafter the apparatus is continuously operated as it is progressively moved from place to place, as

required.

From the above it is seen that the entire apparatus is portable and self-contained and will operate ina reliable and eflicient manner,

Without turther analysisthe foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly con stitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

- I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described. in combination, a supporting frame, a tank mounted thereon, a combustion chamber operatively related to the tank, a source of heat therefor, lines in the tank extending upwardly and in inclined relation from the combustion chamber, means for depositing snow on said flues, means for conducting water from said tank through said combustion chamber, whereby to' heat the same, a pluralityof sprinkler elements disposed in inclined relation above the fines, and means for supplying the sprinkler elements with the heated water.

2, In an apparatus for the character described, in combination, a supporting frame, a tank carried thereby, plurality of heating chambers disposed in the lower part of said tank, a source of heat for said chambers, heating coils in said chambers, a transverse header connnunicating' with said heating chambers, a plurality of upwardly inclined flues having a connection with said header and with an upper header, means for depositing snow on said fines, a sprinkler unit dis-- posed above the flues. and means to deliver water in the tank to theheating coils and thence to the sprinkler unit,

3. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting frame, a tank carried thereby, a plurality of heating chambers mounted in said tank, heating coils in said chambers, a source of heat for said coils, a transverse head-er connecting said heating chambers, a plurality of upwardly inclined fines having connection with said header and with an upper header, means for depositing snow on said fines, a plurality of sprinkler elements disposed in inclined relation above the fines, and means todeliver water in the tank to the heating coils and thence to the sprinkler elements.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a portable frame, a tank carried by said frame, heating chambers mounted in said tank and each provided with a source of heat, heating coils arranged in said chambers, a header with which said chambers are connected, a plurality of fines: having connection with said header and extending upwardly therefrom, means for depositing snow on said fines, a pump for drawing water from the tank and connected to the heating coils, and means. for directing the water from the coils on to the unmelted snow.

5. In an apparatus for the character described, in combination, a portable frame, a tank carried by said frame, heating chambers mounted in said tank and each provided with a source of heat, heating coils in said chamhers, a header with which said chambers are connected, a plurality of fines having connection with said header and extending upwardly therefrom, means for depositing snow on said fines, a pump for drawing water from the tank, a connection between the pump and the heating coils, means for directing the x 

